About the project
This project develops a robotic ultrasonic drilling system for minimally invasive, high resolution assessment of subsurface damage in degraded concrete. Integrating ultrasonic sensing with force, temperature, and acoustic feedback, the approach enables real-time material characterisation in hazardous or inaccessible environments, supporting safer, more efficient inspection and maintenance of critical infrastructure.
Infrastructure exposed to extreme environments, such as marine conditions, fire damage, radiation, or freeze–thaw cycles, undergoes progressive and spatially heterogeneous degradation. Reliable assessment of internal damage is essential for ensuring structural safety and effective maintenance; however, conventional inspection techniques are often invasive, labour-intensive, and lack the sensitivity required to detect early-stage deterioration.
This project aims to develop a robotic ultrasonic drilling platform for minimally invasive, high-resolution subsurface characterisation of degraded concrete. The research will combine the design of a small-size ultrasonic drill, equipped with embedded force, temperature, and acoustic sensors, with the development of a mobile robotic platform capable of deploying the system in complex and hazardous environments. The integrated system will enable simultaneous drilling and real-time sensing, capturing material resistance and ultrasonic responses to reconstruct depth-dependent material properties and identify internal defects. The project will also involve the design of hardware and control systems, including robotic manipulation, positioning accuracy, tool–structure interaction, and adaptive control strategies for stable operation across various material conditions.
Advanced signal processing and data interpretation methods will be developed to translate raw sensor measurements into meaningful diagnostics of material degradation. Experimental validation will be conducted using state-of-the-art characterisation techniques, supported by multi-physics modelling to investigate the coupling between ultrasonic excitation, material behaviour, and damage evolution. The resulting technology will enable autonomous inspection in challenging contexts such as submerged structures, confined spaces, and post-disaster zones, contributing to the next-generation infrastructure diagnostics and resilience management.
You will:
- work in world-class laboratories at the University of Southampton, with access to cutting-edge facilities for materials testing, embedded systems, and robotics
- join an interdisciplinary supervisory team across Mechanical and Civil Engineering
- develop expertise in drill tool and robotic platform development, sensor integration, signal processing, cementitious material characterization, and multi-physics modelling
- build highly transferable skills for careers in academia, infrastructure resilience, advanced diagnostics, and robotics-driven engineering
The School of Engineering is committed to promoting equality, diversity inclusivity as demonstrated by our Athena SWAN award. We welcome all applicants regardless of their gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or age, and will give full consideration to applicants seeking flexible working patterns and those who have taken a career break. The University has a generous maternity policy, onsite childcare facilities, and offers a range of benefits to help ensure employees’ well-being and work-life balance. The University of Southampton is committed to sustainability and has been awarded the Platinum EcoAward.
